Mr. Shaik Akbar Ali, Designated Partner, IIFSA Information and Inputs for Sustainable Aquaculture LLP, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, talks about aquaculture and virtual pond management.
We, at IIFSA, are running a set of systematic approach, ICT based pond management services. Aquaculture is similar to agriculture but done in aquatic environment. It has a high nutrition value. Fish, as a food, has high polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and high quality of nutrition. Aquaculture has a high level of multiplication capacity with minimal water requirement. The fishes need water for survival only and not for consuming. If we compare paddy cultivation with aquaculture, the paddy cultivation needs more water, while aquaculture needs less. The fishes can produce large amount of their babies. Each fish can produce about 5 to 10 lakhs offsprings. They require very low energy for the routine production, and they can convert low value nutrition into high enriched protein. The warm water favours fish growth. Aquaculture also offers high employment opportunities as it needs people for all its activities such as hatchery, seed production, nursery growth, feed manufacture, pond management, harvesting, processing, preprocessing, value addition, and export.
The main principle of aquaculture is maintaining the ecosystem and oxygen budget, desirable fish species for culture, living space, supplementary feeding, pond fertility, disease control. The major principle of aquaculture lies in the knowledge of how to tackle the farm. We help in all these activities virtually. We help in understanding ecosystem, budget, how to start the aquaculture, species that suits the farm, density to be provided, supplementary feeding needed, pond and soil fertility, and water content.
We can virtually teach the farmers about different types of farming, such as cage culture, RAS farming, Biofloc, and so on which we can monitor with ICT based system. in IIFSA, we are providing pond-specific solutions and pond care at farmers’ doorstep. We provide information on pond management for aquaculture for which pre-stocking management is important. We have to learn about eradication and control of aquatic weeds and algae, eradication of unwanted fish, eradication of predatory insects, and fertilisation in the ponds. We do all these sessions online with videos, and these information can be easily learnt by the farmers.
During pond management stocking, we should consider the measures we should take at the farm level, such as the number of seeds we need to stock, density as per the pond area, rearing ponds, and the size of the ponds, the size of seeds needed to suit the size, etc., which are given in the virtual training. So farmers can understand all the details by seeing the training programs online. This is not only for the new farmers but also for the existing ones. They can watch pond activities. Without the online session, it is highly cumbersome to travel to the concerned pond etc. In an online session, we can cater to more than 1500 farmers with details.
During post-stocking management, feeding is very important apart from periodic fertilisation, type of fertilisation, fish health monitoring, and pond environment monitoring. All these details can be obtained by the farmers in their mobile app. How much feed should be given and the type of feed can be recorded in the app itself. Doses, quantities, and type of fertilisation are available in the platform. Regular pond environment monitoring at all seasons, water quality, water parameters in the farm can be recorded by the farmers. In IIFSA, we also supply test kits for checking the water parameters. Health monitoring of the fish is very important, and farmers can learn about the behaviour, clinical and microscopic observations.
The main parameters to be observed are the nature of pond, water area, what extent it is available, age of the pond, management options such as extensive, intensive, or semi-intensive, water colour, transparency, depth, soft sediment depth, solid sediment depth, chemical environment, dawn oxygen which is the level of oxygen in the early mornings. In virtual pond management, all these are recorded, and the data expert can view them, and provide solutions in case of any problems. Farmers have to monitor the behaviour of the fish every day, how much feed they are taking, time taken, and if they are not feeding the cause for the same. Weekly or monthly sampling has to be checked to find out the growth rate. They can take the sample to the lab linked to the record and get it checked. Behavioural changes such as slowing down, stoppage of feeding, loss of equilibrium, swimming erratically, surfacing for gulping air are to be watched for. The clinical symptoms include excess mucous secretion, change in normal colouration, erosion of scales and fins, discoloration, abdominal swelling, and spots over the body in both fish and shrimps. The farmers may also face mortality, then they can take the sample to the lab, check for the root cause, and why mortality is happening. The field coordinator can also check the observations, water parameters, pH levels etc and record in the data sheet. The farmers can also book the field visits and lab tests. The veterinarian can offer suggestions to get rid of the problematic issues. It is specific to the pond, and that is why we call it pond specific solutions. The farmers who are having more than one pond can get the advisory for each pond. It can also reduce the investment, antibiotics or chemicals usage. We have added AI to this app. If the health status is below 100%, the farmers need to take precaution. The app is easy to use for the farmers, the experts can analyse the situations and provide advices for the health of the farm. The farmers can receive continuous inputs and get benefited.
Can you outline the components of ICT led aqua system developed by you?
This system has taken nearly 10 years to develop. In the initial period, we did not have any idea of developing this virtual app. Since we faced lot of issues at the farm level, and I could not perform advisory to suit the requirements of the farmers, we developed this app when we got the suggestion. We have successfully developed the software and made providing services to the farmers easy.
How does technology play a role in enhancing the efficiency of aquaculture in your approach?
The main use of technology in this app is to record the data of the entire pond system with technical details such as animal growing, pond environment, and activities of management. So the data helps us in providing good advice to the farming community by the experts. The experts can analyse the reason for mortality or morbidity, root cause, and treatment. So the app helps in identifying the root cause and offering solutions.
What specific challenges in aquaculture does ICT LED AQUA aim to address?
People have now started understanding the mobile apps and are aware of the technologies. The main challenge we face is the lack of trained field coordinators, and we find it difficult to get such coordinators. Another challenge is the connectivity issue in rural and remote areas for using the ICT technologies. The adaptability of the technology by the farming community is less now, and I hope in the coming years, it will increase, and farmers will start using the devices.
Can you highlight notable success stories or case studies related to the technology?
ICT based advisory service was started in 2009. Some more companies were using similar ICT advisory services at that time similar to the activities that I started but with some differences. The main difference between ours and their technology is we bring the field coordinator, lab, and expert guidance to find the root cause of the problem. The main problem in the farm is dealing with the disease and growth. To understand all these issues, ICT is the best platform. Now some more people have started these services. Many farmers are using WhatsApp, Skype, and other mobile apps.
How have you contributed to the integration of ICT in aquaculture practices?
In aquaculture, we are recording the method of farming, the number of farming methods, and we share the same to the farmers. It helps them a lot, and also we are conducting virtual demonstration activities. One of our persons goes to the field and showcase the entire farming activity, and in the same line, experts will join and explain the details to the farming community.
What distinguishes ICT LED AQUA from traditional aquaculture?
ICT is a type of systematic approach. It not only identifies problems, root causes, but also solutions to the root cause which is very important. In ICT, we can understand the surrounding pond ecosystem, type of things available, resources available, and by using the resources we can provide advisory using ICT. In traditional system, what actually the farmers do is follow the neighbouring farmers’ activities and suggestions. That works sometimes, and it does not often. In ICT, the farmer can choose the solutions because the entire group is following the same system, and from whoever gets good profit, others can learn how gets good result.
How does technology impact sustainability of resource management in aquaculture?
In aquaculture, we need to see production as well as environmental factors which need to be monitored. We need to record water exchange, filling water in the pond etc. When the farmers start recording the water quality, the expert advisory can advise how the factors can bring perfect ecosystem and sustainability. Without ICT and without recording the data, we cannot tell the farmers how to maintain normal density, quality and quantity of feed, and how not to overload. When the farmers are informed of all these details, they avoid the errors, and then sustainability comes in.
What role does data analytics have in optimising the performance of aquaculture systems under ICT LED AQUA?
The data can help in identifying and normalising the system in case of problems like disease or oxygen level. We need to know the stocking density data, we need to know the organic carbon in soil and water and other population in the pond other than the cultured eggs in the pond etc., The numbers are there, and the data is needed to provide the solution to the problems by offering a justified solution. The data helps in getting a justified solution which is pond specific and not general one. We are monitoring each pond specifically. If a farmer has 3 ponds, each pond is different, and one advice does not fit all the ponds. He can get different advisories for each of his pond.
In what ways have your work influenced or benefited the aquaculture industry?
The virtual advisory service is helping farming community to reduce unnecessary antibiotics, sanitisers, and chemicals, and also investment. They can use the pond inputs properly. Then productivity increases as also the quality of culture of fishes and shrimp. Both quantity and quality improves to the benefit of the farmers. The major benefit of using the virtual advisory is monitoring the pond data regularly, recording in the mobile app, and the farmers can make strategic plans for the coming years too. They can plan on the type of seeds he needs to use, density for the particular pond, and work on the problems they faced earlier, and the advisory they got at that time and the remedy. The farmers can have all the details in his pocket. This way our ICT enabled IIFSA pond care is helping the farming community.
Mr.Shaik Akbar Ali
Email akbar@iifsaoffice.in
Phone 9000948599.
We, at IIFSA, are running a set of systematic approach, ICT based pond management services. Aquaculture is similar to agriculture but done in aquatic environment. It has a high nutrition value. Fish, as a food, has high polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and high quality of nutrition. Aquaculture has a high level of multiplication capacity with minimal water requirement. The fishes need water for survival only and not for consuming. If we compare paddy cultivation with aquaculture, the paddy cultivation needs more water, while aquaculture needs less. The fishes can produce large amount of their babies. Each fish can produce about 5 to 10 lakhs offsprings. They require very low energy for the routine production, and they can convert low value nutrition into high enriched protein. The warm water favours fish growth. Aquaculture also offers high employment opportunities as it needs people for all its activities such as hatchery, seed production, nursery growth, feed manufacture, pond management, harvesting, processing, preprocessing, value addition, and export.
The main principle of aquaculture is maintaining the ecosystem and oxygen budget, desirable fish species for culture, living space, supplementary feeding, pond fertility, disease control. The major principle of aquaculture lies in the knowledge of how to tackle the farm. We help in all these activities virtually. We help in understanding ecosystem, budget, how to start the aquaculture, species that suits the farm, density to be provided, supplementary feeding needed, pond and soil fertility, and water content.
We can virtually teach the farmers about different types of farming, such as cage culture, RAS farming, Biofloc, and so on which we can monitor with ICT based system. in IIFSA, we are providing pond-specific solutions and pond care at farmers’ doorstep. We provide information on pond management for aquaculture for which pre-stocking management is important. We have to learn about eradication and control of aquatic weeds and algae, eradication of unwanted fish, eradication of predatory insects, and fertilisation in the ponds. We do all these sessions online with videos, and these information can be easily learnt by the farmers.
During pond management stocking, we should consider the measures we should take at the farm level, such as the number of seeds we need to stock, density as per the pond area, rearing ponds, and the size of the ponds, the size of seeds needed to suit the size, etc., which are given in the virtual training. So farmers can understand all the details by seeing the training programs online. This is not only for the new farmers but also for the existing ones. They can watch pond activities. Without the online session, it is highly cumbersome to travel to the concerned pond etc. In an online session, we can cater to more than 1500 farmers with details.
During post-stocking management, feeding is very important apart from periodic fertilisation, type of fertilisation, fish health monitoring, and pond environment monitoring. All these details can be obtained by the farmers in their mobile app. How much feed should be given and the type of feed can be recorded in the app itself. Doses, quantities, and type of fertilisation are available in the platform. Regular pond environment monitoring at all seasons, water quality, water parameters in the farm can be recorded by the farmers. In IIFSA, we also supply test kits for checking the water parameters. Health monitoring of the fish is very important, and farmers can learn about the behaviour, clinical and microscopic observations.
The main parameters to be observed are the nature of pond, water area, what extent it is available, age of the pond, management options such as extensive, intensive, or semi-intensive, water colour, transparency, depth, soft sediment depth, solid sediment depth, chemical environment, dawn oxygen which is the level of oxygen in the early mornings. In virtual pond management, all these are recorded, and the data expert can view them, and provide solutions in case of any problems. Farmers have to monitor the behaviour of the fish every day, how much feed they are taking, time taken, and if they are not feeding the cause for the same. Weekly or monthly sampling has to be checked to find out the growth rate. They can take the sample to the lab linked to the record and get it checked. Behavioural changes such as slowing down, stoppage of feeding, loss of equilibrium, swimming erratically, surfacing for gulping air are to be watched for. The clinical symptoms include excess mucous secretion, change in normal colouration, erosion of scales and fins, discoloration, abdominal swelling, and spots over the body in both fish and shrimps. The farmers may also face mortality, then they can take the sample to the lab, check for the root cause, and why mortality is happening. The field coordinator can also check the observations, water parameters, pH levels etc and record in the data sheet. The farmers can also book the field visits and lab tests. The veterinarian can offer suggestions to get rid of the problematic issues. It is specific to the pond, and that is why we call it pond specific solutions. The farmers who are having more than one pond can get the advisory for each pond. It can also reduce the investment, antibiotics or chemicals usage. We have added AI to this app. If the health status is below 100%, the farmers need to take precaution. The app is easy to use for the farmers, the experts can analyse the situations and provide advices for the health of the farm. The farmers can receive continuous inputs and get benefited.
Can you outline the components of ICT led aqua system developed by you?
This system has taken nearly 10 years to develop. In the initial period, we did not have any idea of developing this virtual app. Since we faced lot of issues at the farm level, and I could not perform advisory to suit the requirements of the farmers, we developed this app when we got the suggestion. We have successfully developed the software and made providing services to the farmers easy.
How does technology play a role in enhancing the efficiency of aquaculture in your approach?
The main use of technology in this app is to record the data of the entire pond system with technical details such as animal growing, pond environment, and activities of management. So the data helps us in providing good advice to the farming community by the experts. The experts can analyse the reason for mortality or morbidity, root cause, and treatment. So the app helps in identifying the root cause and offering solutions.
What specific challenges in aquaculture does ICT LED AQUA aim to address?
People have now started understanding the mobile apps and are aware of the technologies. The main challenge we face is the lack of trained field coordinators, and we find it difficult to get such coordinators. Another challenge is the connectivity issue in rural and remote areas for using the ICT technologies. The adaptability of the technology by the farming community is less now, and I hope in the coming years, it will increase, and farmers will start using the devices.
Can you highlight notable success stories or case studies related to the technology?
ICT based advisory service was started in 2009. Some more companies were using similar ICT advisory services at that time similar to the activities that I started but with some differences. The main difference between ours and their technology is we bring the field coordinator, lab, and expert guidance to find the root cause of the problem. The main problem in the farm is dealing with the disease and growth. To understand all these issues, ICT is the best platform. Now some more people have started these services. Many farmers are using WhatsApp, Skype, and other mobile apps.
How have you contributed to the integration of ICT in aquaculture practices?
In aquaculture, we are recording the method of farming, the number of farming methods, and we share the same to the farmers. It helps them a lot, and also we are conducting virtual demonstration activities. One of our persons goes to the field and showcase the entire farming activity, and in the same line, experts will join and explain the details to the farming community.
What distinguishes ICT LED AQUA from traditional aquaculture?
ICT is a type of systematic approach. It not only identifies problems, root causes, but also solutions to the root cause which is very important. In ICT, we can understand the surrounding pond ecosystem, type of things available, resources available, and by using the resources we can provide advisory using ICT. In traditional system, what actually the farmers do is follow the neighbouring farmers’ activities and suggestions. That works sometimes, and it does not often. In ICT, the farmer can choose the solutions because the entire group is following the same system, and from whoever gets good profit, others can learn how gets good result.
How does technology impact sustainability of resource management in aquaculture?
In aquaculture, we need to see production as well as environmental factors which need to be monitored. We need to record water exchange, filling water in the pond etc. When the farmers start recording the water quality, the expert advisory can advise how the factors can bring perfect ecosystem and sustainability. Without ICT and without recording the data, we cannot tell the farmers how to maintain normal density, quality and quantity of feed, and how not to overload. When the farmers are informed of all these details, they avoid the errors, and then sustainability comes in.
What role does data analytics have in optimising the performance of aquaculture systems under ICT LED AQUA?
The data can help in identifying and normalising the system in case of problems like disease or oxygen level. We need to know the stocking density data, we need to know the organic carbon in soil and water and other population in the pond other than the cultured eggs in the pond etc., The numbers are there, and the data is needed to provide the solution to the problems by offering a justified solution. The data helps in getting a justified solution which is pond specific and not general one. We are monitoring each pond specifically. If a farmer has 3 ponds, each pond is different, and one advice does not fit all the ponds. He can get different advisories for each of his pond.
In what ways have your work influenced or benefited the aquaculture industry?
The virtual advisory service is helping farming community to reduce unnecessary antibiotics, sanitisers, and chemicals, and also investment. They can use the pond inputs properly. Then productivity increases as also the quality of culture of fishes and shrimp. Both quantity and quality improves to the benefit of the farmers. The major benefit of using the virtual advisory is monitoring the pond data regularly, recording in the mobile app, and the farmers can make strategic plans for the coming years too. They can plan on the type of seeds he needs to use, density for the particular pond, and work on the problems they faced earlier, and the advisory they got at that time and the remedy. The farmers can have all the details in his pocket. This way our ICT enabled IIFSA pond care is helping the farming community.
Mr.Shaik Akbar Ali
Email akbar@iifsaoffice.in
Phone 9000948599.